Category Archives: Ear Problems

Tinnitus is a sound that my ENT patients hear that is NOT coming from an external source. For example, a buzzing sound that comes from an overhead light would not be considered tinnitus. Rather, tinnitus is a noise that ENT patients hear that is coming from inside their head.

I see hundreds of ENT patients with tinnitus from Island Park, Garden City, Long Beach and Oceanside, NY every year. If you have tinnitus, the first step is to make an appointment with an ear, nose and throat specialist. We will perform an in-depth ENT examination to rule out any more concerning causes of the noise such as an inner-ear tumor, mass, or growth.

Once a full ear, nose and throat evaluation is done, we will search for ways to decrease the noise. Some simple ways to control the tinnitus include:

1. Cutting back on caffeine

2. Decreasing wine

3. Turning on soothing background music such as classical pieces

Remember if you live in Garden City, Long Beach, Island Park, Oceanside or surrounding areas we are here to help. As ENT specialists, we are uniquely qualified to diagnose, evaluate and treat tinnitus so you can live a more peaceful life.

Millions of Americans will experience some type of imbalance or dizziness at some point in their lifetimes. Many people just “wait to see if it will go away.” Many more seek care from their primary care doctors. What you should know is that the balance organ is housed in the inner ear and as ear, nose and throat specialists, we are uniquely qualified to evaluate and treat dizziness or imbalance.

Once you seek care from an ENT specialist, we will first perform a thorough ear, nose and throat evaluation including hearing testing. If required, we would then perform additional ear testing.

Benign positional vertigo or B.P.P.V. is one of the most common causes of dizziness and can be readily treated by seeing an ear, nose and throat specialist. We would perform in-office maneuvers go get you back on track.

So, if you or a loved one has experienced dizziness or imbalance, don’t wait for it to “go away.” Call us and we can get you back to a “steadier” state.

Ah! One can’t help make that wonderful relaxing sound as you feel the Long Beach ocean breeze hit your face. But as you frolic by the Long Beach ocean, here are a few things to remembers as you get cozy with the Long Beach water.

For those that are Long Beach water lovers, remembers that repeated contact with ocean water can lead to surfer’s ear. As ear, nose and throat specialists, we know that the ear canal skin is delicate with little to no fat between the ear canal skin and bone. So when you have repeated contact with Long Beach ocean water with swimming or surfing, the cold water can lead to non-cancerous bony growths called exostoses.

Over time exostoses can grow and ultimately block off the ear canal and decrease hearing. As E.N.T. specialists we help diagnose and guide patients on steps to take to halt exostoses growth. By using ear plugs, either over the counter brands or custom, the ear canal is protected making it more difficult for exostoses to proliferate.

So, if you love going to our Long Beach ocean front go ahead! Just remember to bring along your ear plugs and see an ear, nose and throat specialist to determine if you have exostoses. We would be happy to see you!

We all love the beach and there is no better place to experience the wonderment of summer than in Long Beach, NY. With it’s pristine beaches and sparkling water, Long Beach is the beach destination. But with the lovely water, comes water in the ears. Here’s an ENT tip, do NOT use Q-tips to clean those wet ears.

As ear, nose and throat physicians we know that Q-tips can cause ear canal scratches. When water gets in an open area in the ear canal, bacteria can grow and an infection ensues. We go swimming and sweat more during the summer, therefore we are more prone to outer ear infections. As Long Beach residents, the more you are in the water, the great this problem becomes. So, if you have a history of otitis externa (or outer ear infections) or are a Long Beach water lover, make sure to institute strict dry ear precautions which consist of using ear plugs and using a blow dryer (warm setting).

If your ears continue to bother you, we are here to serve the ear, nose and throat needs of the Long Beach community.

Wishing all the Mom’s in my practice a very happy and healthy Mother’s day! Hope you are all enjoying spending time with family.

If you reading this and have a mom or a mother-in-law make sure you help them stay on track by reminding them to get a yearly ear examination and hearing evaluation. As ear specialists, we can SAFELY clean the ears and remove wax. Our in-depth hearing testing uses state-of-the-art equipment to test multiple areas of the ear and hearing.

So if you are a mom or have a mom make sure that you get your annual ear examination and hearing test, if you over age 50.

Don’t ignore ringing in the ears! Ringing, hissing, humming or any noise in the ear that persists SHOULD be evaluated by an ear, nose and throat specialist. Every day I see people in my Long Beach, NY and Garden City, NY offices who thought that these issues are a “normal part of getting older.” Many of my Long Beach patients feel that this noise may be the result of spending too much time by the ocean.

Both of these notions are INCORRECT!

Any patient with noise in the ear (called tinnitus) will undergo a through ear, nose and throat evaluation including full hearing testing. Many patients with tinnitus have undiagnosed hearing problems. In addition, if the noise is worse in one ear than the other, ENT specialists will likely order more in depth testing to rule out masses or tumors of the inner ear.

Testing and evaluation of tinnitus is painless and can unearth some very serious ear problems. If you have ringing in your ears see you local ENT specialist. We are here to serve our patients in the Long Beach, Garden City, Inwood and Rosedale communities.

How common is dizziness? It turns out, very common. Over 90 million Americans suffer from dizziness or imbalance according to the National Institute of Health. It occurs in 1.8 percent of young adults and over 30 percent in patients over 65. Given these statistics, it is no surprise that I see a large number of patients in Long Beach and Garden City who complain of imbalance.

Many causes of dizziness are readily treatable. When you come in to see us, we will perform a comprehensive ear, nose and throat exam as well as hearing tests to assess the health of the ear. We may decide that you need specialized in depth ENT tests to further evaluate your inner ear, which houses your balance organ.

You deserve the best in ENT health including being steady on your feet! We look forward to providing you the very best in ENT care; come see us in our Long Beach or Garden City locations.

Tinnitus is the medical term for noise that patient’s sometimes hear “in their head”, i.e. it is not coming from any external source. This sound can be low or high pitched and most people have experienced it at one time or another. But when tinnitus becomes constant it can quickly move from an intermittent annoyance to a life-altering decline in quality of life.

Did you know that tinnitus is worsened by exposure to loud noises? As the community in Long Beach, NY becomes stronger each day, many people are doing tremendous amounts of construction. With bull dozers, hammering and drilling noise is abundant. So when you are outdoors, even for a short time, remember to think about bring along ear protection such as ear plugs. If you encounter construction during your walk, pop the earplugs in and keep tinnitus away!

Ah, summer is here and there is no better place to be than by the beach in Long Beach, NY. But the arrival of summer brings some unique ear, nose and throat challenges. Here are a few things you can do to have fun on the beaches and stay healthy:
Problem:
Summer is the #1 season for outer ear infections. Otitis externa (outer ear infections) occur when water stays in the ear canal creating a breeding ground for bacteria and fungus.

Solution:
Keep your ears dry. Use silicone earplugs when at the beach or in the pool.
Blow dry your ears after you swim.

What to watch out for:
If you experience severe ear itching or if you have drainage from your ear, you may have an outer ear infection. See an ENT specialist as soon as possible. At Evergreen ENT in Long Beach we are ready to help you stay on track to enjoy a fantastic Long Island summer!

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Author

Dr. Shah is a board certified ENT doctor. She received her undergraduate degree from Princeton University and her medical training at The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. Shah is a leader in her field with specific expertise in office based sinus procedures such as balloon sinuplasty.